Last Bond Movie You Watched.

You always were a cunning linguist.

CJB wrote:

It's certainly more interesting as it gives you a sense that Bond's mission actually carries some importance and a hint of danger. Not so much the case when he merely cums off as a randy middle-aged man looking to lick some young ice cream, though we do love him for it.

Yes, I should point out that I much prefer Moore's affable turns in TSWLM and MR to the faux-gritty interpretation in CR/QOS. Gentleman spy > thug.

BI wrote:

They'd have arrested him if he'd came off all over Bibi. As it were.

He did say he'd give her an ice cream. Didn't think cream would be that cold, south of the border.

He certainly gave her a mouthful of Magnum.

Octopussy

Shave the cosmetic goofiness, it's classic Bond. Boasts one of the best plots of the series. I appreciated Barry's score and Octopussy herself a lot more this time round, also.

Live and Let Die

Potentially moves up a few crocodile backs in my ranking. Is Moore at his most physical in this film? While TSWLM is a better film overall, the character of Bond is perhaps less flippant and more threatening (despite the odd glib quips, particularly toward the end of the film). And enough can't be said about the score. George Martin should have come back. And Paul McCartney.

Sidenote: Fleming had such a way with titles.

I chose For Your Eyes Only as my initial Sir Roger tribute Bond (I intend to revisit the Saint at some point this week).

I guess I figured I'd go for what I take to be his finest outing for seriousness though they all have his mark firmly upon them. Little can be added to what I've said before but what the Hell. I personally think his relationship with Melina is one of the best in the series purely for the lack of any real romance or sex between the two until the very end. That it's by and large off to one side as both focus on either getting revenge or getting the Atac. Moore's Bond can do 'gritty' as well as anyone, the cliff edge scene is one of my favourites generally and even the end, just before the appearance of Mrs Thatcher, was great ("That's detente comrade, you don't have it, I don't have it.")
And always, from the off I can't help but like Colombo immensely. The slight smile on his face when he first meets Bond and his 'old man' fight with Kristatos at the end (just the way they go at it in a rather less than smooth looking way).

Overall, I rate FYEO highly. In some respects Moore could've bowed out here and done so highly.

This all being said, I am going to do Moonraker next. Something of a must.

I agree with all of that except the Melina/Bond relationship. It's not bad, I just think there could have been teases of romance along the way to give way to the sex at the end of the film. Like Tomorrow Never Dies with Wai Lin.

That said, I do love the scene with Bond and Melina on the carriage. Perhaps Moore's most heartfelt moment?

The Spy Who Loved Me - my tribute viewing choice.

From an era when these films were really just trying to 'up the ante' from the previous one and provide a couple of hours of escapist fun, Spy succeeds in spades. The best possible response to the lacklustre reaction to TWTGG ... go away and come back bigger, better, faster, mo(o)re!

In my opinion,Spy gets the balance right but Moonraker goes too far. But that's another discussion.

My tribute film to Sir Rog was AVTAK. It was the first of his films to watch when I was an 8 year old, and was coincidentally last film of his era to watch before he passed away. So I watched it last night with a friend. And it was stellar. Moore is exceptional, and the writing between 'Smythe' and Tibbett is perfect - not to mention the ideal cover for his Bond. Why it hadn't happened earlier is beyond me. May Day still terrifies and is still my favourite henchman. The parallels between Walken's artificial roots and the man made earthquake felt more prominent in this viewing, and I like it. And Stacey is Moore's best heroine, hands down.

And then my mate wanted to watch another, so we watched GF.

For this year, GF edges out AVTAK for the tenth spot in my ranking and could possibly even climb a little higher. Brilliant Bond film. There's a reason why this one is so highly regarded.

GF is where 'the Bond formula' really gets established, and is stuffed full of moments that have passed into pop-culture iconography.

There's been some discussion on here that it's less than the sum of its parts, but when the parts are so good ... who cares?

Blunt Instrument wrote:

There's been some discussion on here that it's less than the sum of its parts, but when the parts are so good ... who cares?

 

I've probably done that myself with GF, but it's critiquing the smallest aspects in an attempt to order them in a ranking.

But you're absolutely right.

Caught Live And Let Die on the Tee Vee the other night.

I have to say, I enjoyed it more than I ever have before. I don't know if that has anything to do with the recent passing of the great man, but I just really enjoyed the Benign Bizarre elements and that time capsule of early 70's Harlem and N'Orleans. I guess they're just the sorts of things one doesn't appreciate when they're younger and dumber.

I know Sir Rog had said that he didn't feel like he made the role his own until TSWLM, but I quite liked his performance here. The wit and dark (no pun intended) humour was there, but also a bit of a harder edge. This meant that there were moments of genuine danger and tension.

CJB wrote:

I know Sir Rog had said that he didn't feel like he made the role his own until TSWLM, but I quite liked his performance here. The wit and dark (no pun intended) humour was there, but also a bit of a harder edge. This meant that there were moments of genuine danger and tension.

I agree with this. Had the same Bond from Live and Let Die or For Your Eyes Only been in The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond and Anya's relationship would have been brimming with tension (perhaps with the help of a more competent actress as well).

I'm also finding that my appreciation grows for LALD as I get older... It used to be dead last, but there's a sense of cool and danger about it that you can't help but enjoy it. I caught the boat chase on TV the other night also and found a new appreciation for it.

What helps immensely with the boat chase is that much of it is visibly performed by Rog himself ... in fact, I think he pranged the boat and sustained an injury during it.

Moonraker

there are vestiges of a good film here and yet, obviously there aren't. Aside from how the bad guys seemingly find Bond at every turn (Venice, the river, Rio etc) the standout moments are Bond's emerging from the centrifugue (the feel of fragility, his gentle dismissal of Goodhead's hand), Corinne's death (still quite chilling), the flight into space (for all the nonsense of Bond going into space, this scene is a favourite what with the music and the SFX -least of all the reveal of the Moonraker itself and that shot of the shuttle emerging from the lens flare of the sun) and personally, Bond and M's final scene together. Perhaps when you know that this was the last time Lee's M would be on screen with Bond, it feels more than it is but there's always something to me in that moment they part.

I found myself hugely enjoying Drax this time round. Something about the performance right down to his pay off. If only, like people say about Walken in VTAK, that Lonsdale got to be used in a more serious film (FYEO/Octopussy/Living Daylights) than this.

For once I didn't groan at Goodhead's last line about going round the world one more time. I've never minded her, true she might not rank high on Bond girl lists but sue me, she's not the worst.

Moonraker is a guilty pleasure film personally. But you do sense, as I say, there could've been a better film here but then I guess it's true of most.

To Sir Roger.

After an almost year long drought of not watching Bond movies, I reached for Live & Let Die.

Miss you Rog...

Hilly KCMG wrote:

I found myself hugely enjoying Drax this time round. Something about the performance right down to his pay off. If only, like people say about Walken in VTAK, that Lonsdale got to be used in a more serious film (FYEO/Octopussy/Living Daylights) than this.

For once I didn't groan at Goodhead's last line about going round the world one more time. I've never minded her, true she might not rank high on Bond girl lists but sue me, she's not the worst.

Zorin could just be my favourite villain, so I'm happy with how that turned out. I really like Drax also, and Lonsdale effectively plays him. But perhaps you're right. Come to think of it, Lonsdale may have made an excellent Le Chiffre.

Goodhead used to be one of my least favourite Bond girls because I never took to Chiles' acting. But her name alone puts her leagues ahead of half of the Bond girls, and she's at least a more convincing fighter than the 'agent' Bond girls that came before her. Her last line never bothered me (it was her delivery, if anything), but this is coming from someone who likes Christmas Jones, festive puns and all.

FieldsMan wrote:

Come to think of it, Lonsdale may have made an excellent Le Chiffre.

Interesting thought. He's definitely got the poker face for it.

CJB wrote:

FieldsMan wrote:

Come to think of it, Lonsdale may have made an excellent Le Chiffre.

Interesting thought. He's definitely got the poker face for it.

And is physically closer to how Fleming envisaged the character.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

GF is where 'the Bond formula' really gets established, and is stuffed full of moments that have passed into pop-culture iconography.

There's been some discussion on here that it's less than the sum of its parts, but when the parts are so good ... who cares?

 

GF is perhaps the ultimate Bond film, as you say stuffed full of memorable moments, it has one lone issue for me but sadly it is a pivotal one in that hurried and rather left field resolution - simply unworthy of a film that is otherwise so smart and stylish. Even with that caveat it still top 5 Bond imo.

FieldsMan wrote:

Hilly KCMG wrote:

I found myself hugely enjoying Drax this time round. Something about the performance right down to his pay off. If only, like people say about Walken in VTAK, that Lonsdale got to be used in a more serious film (FYEO/Octopussy/Living Daylights) than this.

For once I didn't groan at Goodhead's last line about going round the world one more time. I've never minded her, true she might not rank high on Bond girl lists but sue me, she's not the worst.

Zorin could just be my favourite villain, so I'm happy with how that turned out. I really like Drax also, and Lonsdale effectively plays him. But perhaps you're right. Come to think of it, Lonsdale may have made an excellent Le Chiffre.

Goodhead used to be one of my least favourite Bond girls because I never took to Chiles' acting. But her name alone puts her leagues ahead of half of the Bond girls, and she's at least a more convincing fighter than the 'agent' Bond girls that came before her. Her last line never bothered me (it was her delivery, if anything), but this is coming from someone who likes Christmas Jones, festive puns and all.

I thought about her skills as a fighter when she laid into the technician (when Bond and her were going to stop the jamming). She could handle herself that's for sure. After a slightly stodgy beginning she got better I think.

This being said, last night I once more went to Moore's library and plucked out Octopussy

Second to FYEO in my Moore Bond rankings it's not without faults but they're a small part (some of the one-liners and the Tarzan yell for one). Overall, I like the Cold War aspects and some of the performances. As with Drax, Kamal Khan might not come to most cinemagoer's minds for a memorable Bond villain but there's a quiet sort of menace there. An aspect that he'll be willing to do anything to save his own neck (as you see as the film progresses). I think in terms of presence, Berkoff has that. He gave Orlov that sense of being on the verge of losing his nut, the need and thirst for power. Berkoff from what I've seen has that kind of way of acting, properly leaning into it even if it's something like Man Down and from his interviews, you sense this great mind at work (and one who suffers fools less).
I've mentioned before this is the first Bond I likely remember in its entirety watching (such is my mind, I recollect Bournemouth in 1992 with my Grandad for company, as I suffered bad heatstroke that day and so everyone else went to the amusement arcade), so it has some nostalgia but nostalgia aside, I still have a bit of a thing for Maud Adams in this film. All right, she has more to do than Golden Gun but the way she looks and her rapport with Bond ("You're right, we are two of a kind."- I know it's Bond's line but the whole scene) plus the fact Octopussy does seem to inspire fear/respect in the local community and beyond.

Having said about the one-liners there are the odd lines and moments that provoke a smile. Bond's slight smile when in Q's lab and seeing the secretary with the plunging cleavage as he pokes around the video equipment, his slight bemusement/bewilderment at Magda's "that's my little Octopussy", the 'economy tour' line and a grin came to my face when Bond emerges on the banister at the Monsoon Palace towards the end to the Bond theme. Indeed, I always liked the use of the theme when Bond gets stabbed on the back of the Tuktuk (I say stabbed, of course it buries in the money).

Vijay's death still has that effect, though I focused on Bond -perhaps I read more into it than is there, but something about Bond that seemed quite wearied by it all as he lifted the blanket covering Vijay. (Even at the hotel when he goes to meet Magda)
On this note, I'm sure I might be wrong, but seeing Q on the banks of the lake I was thinking that perhaps next to LTK this is the most you see him participate in a field assignment. He comes out in TB and YOLT to equip Bond but beyond that Octopussy seems to be the most he does outside of that until Licence To Kill.

Personally, Moore wouldn't have done badly ending his time here, ending on an all time high (I thank you). Like FYEO there's a more serious Bond with humour sprinkled from the "That's for 009!" to his confrontation with Orlov and beyond.

I daresay I'll find time for VTAK soon.

Good write up. I mostly agree with you - OP is an underrated entry that is marred by some superficial goofiness. But I've always appreciated Glen's Bond films more than the 70s era.

Glen seemed to have a sense perhaps of what was needed. The two Gilbert's were quite similar in the villain's plan, TSWLM being a 70s YOLT (though I admire Gilbert for some other work) and Hamilton might have shot his bolt by Golden Gun. I think Glen tripped for VTAK but there's other things at work like Moore's age by then.

Who knows if Dalton had gotten involved earlier, or even Brosnan. Or if after Moonraker they continued skywards -read something along the lines that the option was either make the plots more fanciful or go back to earth, quite literally -as they did with FYEO.

Hilly KCMG wrote:

Glen seemed to have a sense perhaps of what was needed...

I think you're right, but I also believe Gilbert had that same sense (or perhaps it was Cubby) since TSWLM was exactly what was needed for 1977 after Moore's lukewarm debut and Hamilton's string of films. And I personally don't feel Glen tripped up for AVTAK - there's lots to enjoy in the film, and I think finds a happier balance (at least more so than OP) of Moore's interpretation of the character and the more focused agent of Connery's era. City Hall and the Chantilly scenes put this film light years ahead of CR, QOS and SF.

Hilly KCMG wrote:

Who knows if Dalton had gotten involved earlier, or even Brosnan. Or if after Moonraker they continued skywards -read something along the lines that the option was either make the plots more fanciful or go back to earth, quite literally -as they did with FYEO.

I'm pretty happy with how it played out from '62-2002, except I would have liked a third Dalton film before GE. I'd also have a 5th Brosnan film in 2004, and possibly 6th in 2006, beit Casino Royale or an original storyline. But such is life and wasn't to be. Between 2003 and today, Bond's entered an experimental stage which isn't paying off, and is taking them far too long to identify it.

I see your point about Gilbert -personally he has my admiration for doing a fair few Kenneth More films (some more memorable like Sink the Bismarck/Reach for the Sky) and for his body of work like Alfie and the Bond's.

Ditto on your views on 62-02. A third Dalton is the great missed moment in Bond perhaps after a second Lazenby (talking to someone at work about this, they seemed less enamoured but who knows if after 3-4 films Lazenby hit his mark and then some). Also, I've come round to the idea that if only Brosnan had done one more and that being Casino Royale. I think, personally, CR as it was would've been quite fitting for Brosnan. (Imagine the pain face for the heart attack scene...I jest of course).

Sort of feels like Bond is in no man's land now or maybe it's because we have this wealth of films from 1962 to 2002 where the golden age sits. I sometimes think about if I had been around when films were happening like say the original Star Wars trilogy (waiting for Jedi to come out after last seeing Han Solo encased in carbonite, perhaps dead, Vader being revealed as Luke's father etc) or having new Bond's in the shape of Lazenby/Moore and Dalton (I remember the GE press conference chaired by Brosnan..."Her name's Bond, Samantha Bond!")

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A note before I go on to my latest film, I forgot to say how I like the casino scene in Octopussy -how Bond seems if not entirely intentionally, to come to the colonel's aid by playing Khan at backgammon(?), a game I saw Moore play Broccoli during FYEO's filming in some photo. Vaguely reminds me of Dalton's remarks about Bond being like a man who rides into town in a Western, sorts out the trouble and rides on.

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Well, after FYEO, Moonraker and Octopussy naturally I ping into A View to a Kill

running the risk of contradiction I write this under drink and a heavy week at work.

As I'm rambling, I reiterate that for years VTAK was one of only three Bond's my family had on VHS (the others being OHMSS and DAF -Dad's perennial favourite). Indeed, I remember it was probably the only one we had recorded off the box previous (old ITV/ITN idents come to mind). So, I've seen this more than OHMSS by far (Kitty when we met in 2007 once asked how many times I've seen OHMSS, I said a hundred. But now I realise I was far too liberal in my estimate and that VTAK is my most watched film followed by DAF, OHMSS and probably Goldfinger).

Let's kick it out there, the PTS is alright and then there's California Girls. I'm a big Beach Boys fan but it's a bit much. But then if Star Trek can cram Beastie Boys into two films, this isn't so bad.

VTAK for some reason strikes me as an odd movie. Maybe it's that sadly Roger Moore was looking a touch old to be bedding Tanya Roberts and even Grace Jones, something you think off when he and Pat Macnee are fighting the goons in Zorin's bunker (beneath the stables). Then there's the plot which I honestly forget most times and even then has sort of been done before.

And yet, it has some affection in my book. Were I to remove my Bond purist hat I can easily enjoy this movie. It's my birth year film and if you're in the mood, can't help but enjoy it.

San Francisco though good to see on screen somehow feels misused in the film outside of the Golden Gate Bridge climax. Dare I suggest if only the chase somehow got down Lombard Street or zipped more between cable cars or some action at Coit Tower? Or some such. I read on a website once (long gone now, NorCal movies) that SF never got the chance to shine. Small beer I know folks. But as someone who has affection for SF, I think there's more that could've been used.
One admires Sir Roger's gusto in the film. You half expect now, or I do, when he's kissing Mayday in bed a speech bubble to accompany the eyes: "The things I do for England!"

Actors: Love always Moore and Macnee's rapport right down to the "Let me help you with that/Oh thank you sir" when they arrive at the stables. Childhood memory comes to mind at the car wash scene when I said to my parents: "Why is the music getting loud?" (words to effect) and was told, "Something bad is going to happen."
Boom. Poor Tibbett, though when Bond sees his body Macnee looks like he's got a smile to his face, ha.

Moore does his best and brilliantly. As with the colonel's rescue in Octopussy, I do like the fight at Stacey's house -the music plus the way Bond goes about dispatching the bandits (the shot of Bond cocking the shotgun on the balcony to the music). Or his expression when he realises what's in the shotgun.

Walken is a marvel. From the off it's the way his voice goes up and down, the facial expressions (like when he's profiling Bond), his cold maniacal manner (City Hall) and his death. I do wish we could've seen him face off Dalton though Moore was worthy enough ("I'm speechless with admiration").

Tanya Roberts is someone I find hard to get antsy about. I think of Kelso's line in 70s Show about Midge (her character): "We allllllllll like Midge!"
People in 1985 might've said, "Tanya Roberts playing a seismologist!" would then be stunned senseless by Denise Roberts in 1999 playing a nuclear physicist. She's a bit of alright is our Tanya and well, we'll leave it there.

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Otherwise, the film has more than its share of moments. It feels...80s, a regular film with Bond in it, damned if I know what I mean but City Hall is one of Bond's notable scenes. (If only they kept the deleted scene of Stacey's firing that ends with Moore saying "Fuck him!" ha) the shooting of Howe and above all, Bond taking Stacey down the ladder (ever since I saw that the first time, wished I was Bond. Saving the damsel and all that, to a Barry tune). This preceding the "Is he/Are you/I am" line and the eyebrow raise when Bond sees the two SFPD cop cars stuck together.

"You can forget about your sergeant's promotion now."

Of course there's the mine massacre and then the bridge fight.

Not without its faults, it's not all that bad. But Living Daylights comes as fresh air.

I daresay I'll cram TSWLM soon enough unless I go to that Bond all nighter in July.

If they'd kept that scene that would've been the PG certification gone, Hilly .